Ski boot clasp



J. G. DUNN SKI BOOT CLASP Sept. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1964 INVENTOR JAMES G. DUNN J. G. DUNN SKI BOOT CLASP Sept. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1964 FIG.6

INVENTOR JAMES G. DUNN ATTORId United States Patent 3,204,307 SKI BOOT CLASP James G. Dunn, 425 Middle Road, Henrietta, NY. Filed Mar. 9, 19'64, Ser- No. 350,490 8 Claims. (Cl. 24-68) This invention relates to a clasp, and more particularly to an adjustable clasp for releasably lashing together the flies or flaps on a ski boot.

One of the primary purposes of conventional ski boots is to lend support to a skiers ankle. For this reason, most such boots comprise a relatively pliable, lowquarter liner, which is laced in a conventional manner to ones foot, and an ankle length outer boot portion, which surrounds the liner, and Which is made from relatively stiif, heavy leather. The outer boot portion has pair of conventional flies or flaps which are adapted to be lashed tightly over the liner and about the skiers ankle. In practice it is desirable that these boot flaps be lashed together so tightly that the skiers ankle becomes almost rigid, but not so tight as to restrict proper blood circulation in the foot, or otherwise to render the foot painful.

In order to lash together the two flies or flaps on a ski boot of the type described, it has been customary heretofore to provide each flap with a plurality of eyelets or hooks. The eyelets or hooks on each flap are then lashed to corresponding eyelets or hooks on the other flap by means of a heavy lace. Lacing these flaps together however, can be very time consuming and painful to the hands of the skier, who must maintain a considerable amount of tension upon the lace while eifecting the lacing. Moreover, it is quite normal for a skier to make several adjustments in the tension of such boot lace during the course of a days skiing, either to loosen or tighten the boot about his or her foot. Each time such an adjustment is made, it is necessary for the skier to untie the lace, and then to retension the lace between each cooperating pair of eyelets or hooks before retying the lace.

Proposals have been made to eliminate the use of a lace by substituting therefor buckles for removably drawing together the two boot flaps. These buckles proposed comprise, basically, a plurality of pivotal latching members secured to one of the boot flaps, and a corresponding plurality of cooperating hooks secured to. the other of the boot flaps. Each hook is adapted to lock in one of a plurality of notches formed in the corresponding latching member, when the latter is pivoted into its operative or latching position. One major disadvantage of such buckles is that the adjustment of the buckle is limited to one of two or three positions, depending upon the number of notches in the latching member. Moreover, the latching member is secured to the boot so that if it should break, a considerable amount of time and expense are involved in replacing or repairing the member.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a novel ski boot clasp which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be readily replaced if lost or broken.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved ski boot clasp which reduces drastically the amount of time and eifort heretofore expended in lashing the ski boot to a skiers foot.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved ski boot clasp which may be used with other like clasps for fastening an outer boot portion about a skiers ankle, and which is removable, independently of other clasps, from the ski boot, and which is readily adjustable independently of other clasps on the boot.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an See adjustable ski boot clasp for use in boots of the type heretofore designed for laces, and which clasp has an over-center latching lever which produces a mechanical advantage that remains constant.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a ski boot clasp made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of part of a ski boot, and showing the flies and flaps of the boot lashed together by one of these clamps;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing one of these clasps clamped in operative position on the ski boot;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a modified form of the clasp;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing the boot flaps lashed together by a still further embodiment of my novel clasp;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 in FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a still further embodiment of my novel clasp; and

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a modified form of the clasp shown in FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, and first to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, one of my adjustable ski boot clasps is designated generally at 21, and comprises the curved, over-center latching lever 22 having a convexedly shaped upper wall 23, which curves rapidly downwardly at one end of the lever as at 24, and which has a pair of downwardly depending sidewalls 25. The walls 25 cooperate with the upper wall 23 to define a shallow recess in the underside of lever 22; and the lower edges 26 of the sidewalls 25 are concavedly shaped for a purpose to be described in more detail below.

Connected at its open end to one end of lever 22 to pivot into and out of the recess in the bottom of the lever is a rigid, generally U-shaped loop 31. At there terminal ends the legs 32 of loop 31 are bent laterally outwardly and away from one another to form integral projections 33 which pivot in aligned openings in the sidewalls 25 of the lever 22. Pivotally connected to the lever 22 intermediate the ends of this lever, to pivot about the outside of the lever is a rigid, U-shaped loop or link 34, having a pair of parallel, rigid legs 35 which are spaced from one another a distance slightly greater than the width of the lever. Adjacent their terminal ends the legs 35 are bent laterally inwardly to form thereon integral projections 36 (FIG. 2) which extend through and are pivotally in aligned openings formed in the sidewalls 25 of lever 22 at points approximately midway between opposite ends of the lever 22.

Bent at opposite ends thereof to loop about the legs 35 of link 34, and extending transversely between these legs 35 is a bar 38. This bar is slidable toward and away from the closed end of the link.

Adjustably connected to the link 34 by means of a flexible strap 41, is a further, rigid link 42. The link 42 comprises a metal rod bent into generally rectangular configuration, and has overlapping legs along one side thereof which pass through a loop 43 sewn in one end of the strap 41. One of the overlapping legs 44 of link 42 is longer than the other, and is folded backwardly over the strap loop 43 to form a keeper 44 beneath which the outer, free end of strap 41 may be tucked. (See, for

a instance, FIGS. 5, 8 and 9.) From its looped end 43, the strap 41 passes under and over the slide bar 38, and beneath the closed end of the link 34, terminating in a free end which, if long enough, may be tucked beneath the keeper or arm 44 of link 42.

Clasps 21 are adapted to be employed on conventional ski boots 45 (FIGS. 2 to 4), whose outer and inner flaps 46 and 47, respectively, have hooks 48 and 49, respectively, secured to them. The hooks 48 and 49, respectively, face outwardly; and for each hook 49 on the inner flap 47 there is a corresponding or cooperating hook'48 secured on the outer flap 46.

In use, to secure the boot flaps snugly about a skiers instep and ankle, as many clasps 21 are used as there are pairs of cooperating hooks 48 and 49 on the boot.

To secure each clasp 21 to its hooks, its link 42 is positioned over one of the hooks 49, and the loop 31 carried by its lever 22 is positioned over the corresponding hook 48 at the opposite side of the boot. The overcenter latching lever 22 is then pivoted downwardly in a clamping direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) until the concave lower edges 26 of its sidewalls 25 abut the upper surface of the boot as shown in FIG. 3. This rotation of the lever 22 tensions the strap 41 which is anchored to the hook 49. When the lever 22 is in its extreme counterclockwise or locking position shown in FIG. 3, the common axis of the projections 36 on the legs 35 of the link 34 lies to the left of the closed end of the loop 31, and in a horizontal plane positioned slightly beneath the horizontal plane containing the centerline of the closed end of loop 31. For this reason the lever 22 functions as an over-center lever, the tension in the strap 41 being operative to transmit to the lever 22, through the agency of the projections 36, a moment which tends constantly to urge the lever 22 downwardly against the surface of the boot 45, or in a counterclockwise direction from its position as illustrated in FIG. 3. At the same time, the tension in the strap 41 tends to draw the boot flaps, to which the hooks 48'and 49 are secured, snugly about the skiers foot.

To increase or decrease the tension in the strap 41, one need only to adjust the length of the strap 41 between link 42 and the point where the strap is gripped between the bar 38 and the closed end of the link 34. The easiest way to do this is to pivot the lever 22 temporarily into its released or open position, but without disengaging the loops 31 and 42 from their respective hooks 48 and 49.

This releases the tension on strap 41 so that the, bar

38 may be slid to the left in FIG. 3.

When not in use the clasps 21 are adapted to be removed from the ski boot and carried separately so that they will not be lost. With the clasp of the present invention, it is practical, however, for a skier to carry a few extra clasps 21 to replace any lost or damaged clasps.

A modified form of clasp is designated at 51 in FIG. 5, and comprises a lever 52, which is curved intermediate its ends as in the case of lever 22, but which is solid throughout its length. At its rear end lever 52is rounded as at 53, and has pivotally connected thereto the open end of a rigid, U-shaped loop 54. The free ends of the loop 54 have inwardly facing projections 55 seated in openings in lever 52 so that loop 54 pivots about the exterior of the rounded end 53 of the lever. Integral with and projecting from the concave undersurface of the lever 52 intermediate opposite ends thereof is a semicircular boss 56. Connected at one end thereof to boss 56 to pivot about the exterior of the lever 52 is a rigid, U-shaped link 57, similar to the link 34 on clasp 21. The parallel legs of the link 57 are spaced from one another a distance greater than they legs of the loop 54, whereby the latter may pass between the legs of link 57. At its opposite end link 57 is connected to a strap 41 which carries a loop 42.

In use the loops 54 and .42 of clasp 51 are connected to cooperating ski boot hooks 48 and 49, after which lever 52 is pivoted downwardly into its locking position. The advantage of clasp 51 is that the loop 54 pivots about the outside of lever 52, thereby eliminating the need for making the underside of lever 52 hollow to accommodate the loop 54, and permitting a reduction in the overall width of the clasp 51 as compared to clasp 21.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a clasp 61 having a lever 62 which is substantially identical to the lever 22 employed in the first embodiment. The open end of a rigid, U- shaped link 64 is pivoted to the sidewalls of lever 62 in the same manner as link 34 of clasp 21. At its rear end, however, the lever 62 has pivotally connected thereto the open ends of two, rigid, generally U-shaped loops 63 and 65, which swing about parallel axes into and out of the recess in the bottom of the lever. The loops 63 and 65 are substantially identical in size, but the loop 63 'is pivoted about an axis which lies between the convex upper wall of lever 62 and the pivotal axis of loop 65. Unlike clasp 21, the adjusting strap 66, which is used with clasp 61, is looped around the closed end of loop 63, and then passes between thelegs of loop 65. A rigid, ski boot engaging ring 67 is secured to one of the free ends of strap 66.

In use (FIG. 6), the closed end of link 64 is inserted over one of the ski boot hooks 49, and the ring 67 is inserted over the corresponding hook 48. When the lever 62 is in its down, or closed position, and the strap 66 is tensioned, the lever 62 is subjected to a torque or moment which tends to retain it inits closed position, and exhibits the same over-center latching effect as was described in conjunction with clasp 21. With this type of clasp, the lever 62, when in its locking position, will be between the boot hooks 48 and 49 to which it is. connected, and more toward the center of the boot as compared to clasps 21 and 51. Levers centered on the boot are somewhat more protected from being accidentally opened should a skier fall sideways, and, for women in particular, would appear to be more acceptable in an esthetic sense.

The clasp 7 1 in FIG. 8 comprises a hollow lever 72, which is generally similar in shape to the lever 22 for clasp 21, and, as in the case of the latter, has the open end of a rigid, generally U-shaped link 74 pivotally connected to its lever 72 intermediate the ends thereof. At its opposite end link 74 is connected to an adjustable strap 41 as in the case of clasp 21. However, instead of a loop31, an anchor plate 77 is pivotably secured in the recessed underface of lever 71 adjacent its rear end by means of a pin 78, which extends through aligned openings in the sidewalls of the lever, and the boss of the plate 77.

In use, the anchor plate 77 of a plurality of clasps 71 are adapted to be secured to one of the flaps of a ski boot in place of one of the rows of ski boot books 48 or 49. When the'ring 42 is positioned over one of the hooks 48 or 49, and the strap 41 is properly adjusted, the closing of lever 72 will tension the strap and cause it to exert a moment on lever 72 which tends to hold the latter in its closed position. With this construction, the clasps 71 are connected to the boot at all times, thereby minimizing the chances of losing or misplacing the clasps when not in use.

FIG. 9 illustrates a clasp 81, which is a modified version of clasp 71, and which comprises a solid, curved lever 82 that is pivoted at its rear end to an anchor plate 83 by a pin 84. The rear end of lever 82 is positioned between a pair of spaced, parallel lugs or ears 85, which project from anchor plate 83 adjacent one end thereof; and the pin 84 passes through aligned openings in the lugs 85 and the rear end of the lever. As in the case of clasp 71, a link 86 is pivotally connected at one end to lever 82 intermediate the ends of the latter, and at its opposite end is connected to a flexible strap 41 of the type above-described.

In use the anchor plates 83 of a plurality of clasps 81 are secured by rivets or the like to one of the flaps of a ski boot in place of one of the rows of hooks 48 or 49. Each plate 83 has one or more openings 87 therein to accommodate such rivets. The distance between the legs of the link 86 is suflicient to permit the lugs 85 on the anchor plate to pass between said legs, when the lever 82 is in its closed position. The solid lever 82 may be made substantially narrower than the hollow lever 72 employed in clasp 71, thereby permitting a reduction in the overall width of clasp 81 as compared to clasp 71.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that applicant has devised a simple and inexpensive means for removably securing ski boots on a skiers feet. To adjust the clasps, one need only to make a slight adjustment in the straps associated therewith; and unlike most of the prior ski boot clamps of the type above described, the clasps are not limited merely to three or four positions of adjustment. Moreover, to increase the tension in applicants clasps, the adjustment may be made with or without releasing the clamping levers from their locking positions. Also, the shape of each lever 12, 62 and 72 is such that, in its closed position, the lower edges of its sidewalls are disposed in contiguous relation to the curved upper surface of the boot, so that they tend to prevent snow and ice from building up beneath the upper wall of the lever and causing accidental release thereof during skiing.

While the invention has been described in connection with several specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this appplication is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features herein'before set forth, .and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clasp for drawing together the two overlapping flaps of a ski boot of the type which has a row of spaced hooks secured to at least one of said flaps and facing outwardly from the center of said boot, comprising (a) a first member,

(b) a second member,

(c) means for connecting said members to said flaps,

(d) an over-center latching lever pivotally connected adjacent opposite ends thereof to said first and second members, respectively, to swing relative to said members about spaced, parallel axes between an open position in which said members are spaced from one another, and a closed position in which said members are swung into overlapping relation to one another, thereby to draw together said flaps, said means including (e) means for adjusting the tension in the clasp, comprising (f) a flexible adjusting strap slidably connected adjacent one end thereof to one of said members,

(2) a rigid link connected to the opposite end of said strap and adapted to be connected removably to one of said hooks on one of said boot flaps, and

(h) locking means engageable with said strap to prevent sliding movement between said strap and said one member, and releasably to adjust the length of said strap between said link and said one member,

(i) said lever having a generally concave undersurface which overlies the overlapping boot flaps when said lever is in its closed position, and

(j) said first and second members comprising a pair of rigid loops each of which is connected at one end thereof to said lever to pivot about one of said spaced axes, and one of which loops is substantially smaller than the other of said loops, and is pivotable with said lever through said other loop.

2. A clasp as defined in claim 1, wherein (a) said other loop is generally U-shaped in configuration and is connected at its open end to said lever,

(b) said locking means comprises a bar extending transversely between the legs of said other loop and slidable toward and away from the closed end thereof,

(c) said one end of said strap is looped over said bar and gripped between said bar and the closed end of said other loop, and

(d) said one loop is generally U-shaped in configuration and is connected at its open end to pivot around the outside of one end only of said lever, and is adapted to have its closed end releasably engaged with a hook on the other of said flaps.

3. A clasp as defined in claim 1, wherein (a) said lever has a recess in its concavedly shaped undersurface, and

(b) said one loop is generally U-shaped in configuration and is connected at its open end to said lever to pivot into and out of said recess in said lever upon movement of the latter to its closed and open positions, respectively.

4. A clasp as defined in claim 2, wherein (a) said other loop is generally U-shaped in configuration and is connected at its open end to said lever,

(b) said locking means comprises a bar extending transversely between the legs of said other loop and slidable toward and away from the closed end thereof,

(c) said one end of said strap is looped over said bar and gripped between said bar and the closed end of said other loop, and

(d) said one loop is adapted to be engaged releasably with a hook on the other of said flaps.

5. A clasp as defined in claim 2, wherein (a) said other loop is generally U-shaped in configuration and is connected at its open end to said lever, and is adapted to have its closed end releasably engaged with a hook on the other of said flaps,

(b) said locking means comprises a further loop pivotally connected to said lever adjacent said one loop to pivot about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said one loop, and

(c) said one end of said strap is looped over said further loop and gripped between the closed ends of said further loop and said one loop to connect the latter to said one hook on said one flap.

6. A clasp for drawing together the two overlapping flaps of a ski boot of the type which has a row of spaced hooks secured to at least one of said flaps and facing outwardly from the center of said boot, comprising (a) a first member,

(b) a second member,

(c) means for connecting said members to said flaps,

(d) an over-center latching lever pivotally connected adjacent opposite ends thereof to said first and second members, respectively, to swing relative to said members about spaced, parallel axes between an open position in which said members are spaced from one another, and a closed position in which said members are swung into overlapping relation to one another, thereby to draw together said flaps, said means including (e) means for adjusting the tension in the clasp, comprising (f) a flexible adjusting strap slidably connected adjacent one end thereof to one of said members,

(g) a rigid link connected to the opposite end of said strap and adapted to be connected removably to one of said hooks on one of said boot flaps, and

(h) locking means engageable with said strap to prevent sliding movement between said strap and said one member, and releasable to adjust the length of said strap between said link and said one member,

(i) said lever having a generally concave undersur- 7 face which overlies the overlapping boot flaps when said lever is in its closed position,

(j) said one member comprising a rigid loop connected at one end thereof to said lever to pivot around the outside of said lever about one of said spaced axes, and connected at its opposite end to said strap, and

(k) the other of said members comprising a rigid plate connected at one end thereof to said lever to pivot about the other of said spaced axes, and adapted at its opposite end to be secured to the other of said flaps.

7. A clasp as defined in claim 6, wherein (a) said lever has a recess in its concavedly shaped undersurface, and

(b) said plate has an integral boss at said one end thereof which projects into said recess in said lever, and which is connected by a pin to said lever for pivotal movement about said other axis.

8. A clasp as defined in claim 6, wherein (a) said plate has a pair of spaced lugs integral therewith at said one end of said plate, and

(b) said spaced lugs flank opposite sides of said lever and are connected thereto by a pin for ivotal movement about said other axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

BOBBY R. GAY, Examiner. 

1. A CLASP FOR DRAWING TOGETHER THE TWO OVERLAPPING FLAPS OF A SKI BOOT OF THE TYPE WHICH HAS A ROW OF SPACED HOOKS SECURED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLAPS AND FACING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID BOOT, COMPRISING (A) A FIRST MEMBER, (B) A SECOND MEMBER, (C) MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID MEMBERS TO SAID FLAPS, (D) AN OVER-CENTER LATCHING LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMERS, RESPECTIVELY, TO SWING RELATIVE TO SAID MEMBERS ABOUT SPACED, PARALLEL AXES BETWEEN AN OPEN POSITION IN WHICH SAID MEMBERS ARE SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, AND A CLOSED POSITION IN WHICH SAID MEMBERS ARE SWUNG INTO OVERLAPPING RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, THEREBY TO DRAW TOGETHER SAID FLAPS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING (E) MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE TENSION IN THE CLASP, COMPRISING (F) A FLEXIBLE ADJUSTING STRAP SLIDABLY CONNECTED ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, (G) A RIGID LINK CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID STRAP AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED REMOVABLY TO ONE OF SAID HOOKS ON ONE OF SAID BOOT FLAPS, AND (H) LOCKING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID STRAP TO PREVENT SLIDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID STRAP AND SAID ONE MEMBER, AND RELEASABLY TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF SAID STRAP BETWEEN SAID LINK AND SAID ONE MEMBER, (I) SAID LEVER HAVING A GENERALLY CONCAVE UNDERSURFACE WHICH OVERLIES THE OVERLAPPING BOOT FLAPS WHEN SAID LEVER IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, AND (J) SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS COMPRISING A PAIR OF RIGID LOOPS EACH OF WHICH IS CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID LEVER TO PIVOT ABOUT ONE OF SAID SPACED AXES, AND ONE OF WHICH LOOPS IS SUBSTANTAILLY SMALLER THAN THE OTHER OF SAID LOOPS, AND IS PIVOTABLE WITH SAID LEVER THROUGH SAID OTHER LOOP. 